


The Patterson Family Show

by MrToddWilkins



Category: For Better or For Worse (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Truman Show Fusion, Anachronic Order, Epic Length, F/M, Family Politics, Fantasy elements, Filming, Gen, M/M, No Bashing, Reviews, Snark, a lot of characters get screen time earlier than they did in canon, bridesmaids - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-01-27
Packaged: 2021-02-22 12:24:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22249459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrToddWilkins/pseuds/MrToddWilkins
Summary: What if the Patterclan,their friends,and the lives thereof were being filmed for our viewing pleasure?
Relationships: Anthony Caine/Elizabeth Patterson, Elly Patterson/John Patterson, Martha McRae/Michael Patterson, Michael Patterson/Deanna Sobinski, Rhetta Blum/Michael Patterson





	1. Wikipedia article for TPFS, accessed 1 January 2020

**The Patterson Family Show** is a Canadian-American reality TV show,ongoing since 1979,that depicts the lives of the Patterson family of Milborough,Ontario,and their friends. The longest-running TV show to date that is not a news show,it is considered by most as the first reality TV show. Since it’s inception,the show has been nominated for 300 awards,and has won 124. 

—————-

The Patterson Family Show 

Genre Sitcom

Reality

Developed by Jamie Albert

Theme music composer Blaise Rivers

Country of origin Canada

  
Original language(s) English

Number of seasons Ongoing

Number of episodes 2300 (as of December 29,2019)

(list of episodes)

Camera setup Multiple cameras

Running time 1 hour (usually)

Original network CBC

Original release September 6,1979-present


	2. Reddit (June 21,2015)

(3.9k upvotes)

  
curlycanuck wrote:

**I’m Candace Halloran. Yes, _that_ Candace Halloran. AMA!**

Gherabin wrote:

How’re Rudy and Ariana?  
  


curlycanuck wrote:

They’re good! Ari just finished first grade! Can you believe it?  
AnUnexpectedError wrote:

Oh God. She’s gonna be a heartbreaker before the decade is out,I just know it.

curlycanuck wrote:

😂

akalechip wrote:

What did you think of the Housening?  
  


curlycanuck wrote:

Oh my God! You guys are _still_ using that term? Anyway, it was a total trainwreck (pardon le pun). John’s still steaming over it.

PATRIOTSRADIOSIGNALS wrote:

Would you do me the honor of being a guest on the Patriotcast sometime?

curlycanuck wrote:

Name the time and place!

elderdrakon121 wrote:

Harry Potter, LoTR, or ASoIaF?  
  


curlycanuck wrote:

No contest. Nikolai Coster-Waldau is scrumptious.

Shadowbanthisdood wrote:

Kiss,Marry,Kill. Mike,Gordo,and Lawrence.

curlycanuck wrote:

Kiss - Lawrence. Marry - Gordo. Kill - Michael (sorry, u/DSP).

manniswithaplannis wrote:

Kiss,Marry,Divorce. Warren,Paul,Anthony. I don’t count Eric the Cheater.

curlycanuck wrote:

Kiss - Paul. Marry - Warren. Divorce - Anthony.

  
MorgothDidNothingWrong wrote:

Say hi to Shawna for us! Her blog is so interesting but she hasn’t been on the show in soooo long!  
  


curlycanuck wrote:

I will! She’s on Reddit too if you want to look her up!


	3. TPFS episode guide

  1. Meet the Pattersons (September 6,1979).   
  

  2. Domestic Tour (September 9,1979)
  3. John Patterson (September 11,1979)
  4. Kindergarten Blues (September 15,1979)
  5. Meet Connie (September 18,1979)
  6. A Talk with Connie (September 23,1979)




	4. 150 greatest episodes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As of 2020

150\. Dixie’s Dog Show (May 16,2004). Jim really shone in this one.

149\. The Valhalla Variations (February 12,2008). At this time viewers began favoring Thorin over Karen.

148\. Winnipeg (August 8,2007). April + city life = win.

147\. Hot Dog Summer (June 10-17,1990). Mike really began showing his stuff here.

146\. Nipissing Nights (December 6,1999). Candace=win.

145\. The Greatest of These (April 14,1990). The first really good Lawrence-centric episode.

144\. Caroling,Caroling (November 18,2008). Meredith. Just....Meredith.

143\. Exam Week 1 (June 8-9,1996). A glimpse into the psyche of Michael.

142\. Kurtains for Kortney (May 1,2004). Admit it. We all hated her by that point.

141\. Dawn Gets Married (March 7,2008). You all know why.

140\. The Case of the Meteor Flash (January 22,2011). April shone here.


	5. From CBS Evening News, June 13,1997

Dan Rather:The Patterson Family Show is one of the foremost TV series of our time. For 18 years this coming September,the life of southern Ontario's Patterson family has been chronicled in intimate detail. The show has seen births and deaths,weddings and funerals,and all of life in between.  
Yet one of its challenges is how its characters handle life. Or in the case of the eldest child,Michael Patterson,how to enter the adult world. Patterson,21,just ended his sophomore year at the University of Western Ontario,in London,where he studies journalism and photography. Two weeks ago,I had the opportunity to speak with him and his girlfriend,Deanna Sobinski,also 21,at her Barrie apartment.

Although they haven’t yet moved in together,as one might expect out of such a loving relationship,the two do seem in love. As viewers both longtime and novice will know,they reconnected after she was injured in a car crash last April 26. Prior to that,Mike had just broken things off with another girl,23-year-old Rhetta Blum of Hamilton.

Michael Patterson:Rhetta and I were just thinking about getting serious,but we had different priorities. Rhetta wanted to stay in Milborough and work on a business degree,so she could join her father in his bookkeeping business,and I wanted to pursue journalism.

DR:Deanna Sobinski used to live not too far from the Pattersons. She and her family,including her older sister Andrea,27,moved away in September 1986.   
  
Deanna Sobinski:For nearly a decade I didn’t think much about Mike. We wrote usually once every other month,and that stopped in late ‘92. So I knew about his girlfriend Martha,and about April,but I had to hear the rest from his father.

MP:I’m glad to have connected with Dee again.

DR:Michael’s two sisters,16 year old Elizabeth and 6 year old April,and their parents,Elly,46,and John,48,have yet to properly meet Deanna. Mike says he hopes to introduce them sometime this autumn.

MP:I’m hoping we can make Christmas. Her parents have invited us over.


	6. Theme song lyrics (1990?-present)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sung by Neal Whitehill and Dawn Ford

6 AM with little sleep and it's another crazy day

Whoever said that life is fair, they'd better not come my way

Pretty sure the muffler's gone, and there's just one thing to say 

One look from you and you know it's true

I wouldn't change a thing

As long as we stick together

We can take what life may bring

We have to keep remindin' ourselves

There's laughter and there's crying

And if we think that everything's perfect

Then we'd just be lying

Not every day is gonna have sunshine

But we'll keep on trying

For better or worse things will turn out fine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m going with April 12,1981 for Liz’s birth.
> 
> Also,I’ve been thinking about adding fantasy elements to this. Like forex wood elves or home magic.


End file.
